Culling at ABC’s Radio National
According to management (who tells it as it is without a word of a lie) the following changes are necessary to add content to ABC Online within the draconian budget limitations imposed by the miserable federal government. Thanks to Peter Pockley for the information.
Further to Glenys Stradijot’s message of earlier today, here are
details of the changes to RN for 2009. The trend to reduce the number
of specialist programs (all unique and of excellent quality), which
began with closure of the weekly environment program on RN a couple
of years ago, has been extended.
Regarding TV, I have also learned of 35 positions of documentary
producer and the like being cut, again a serious blow to the in-house
capacity of ABC programming.
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Change summary
Programs which end:
The Ark
In Conversation
Media Report
Perspective
Radio Eye
Religion Report
Short Story (remains on air with no new production)
Sports Factor
Street Stories
New programming:
Archival (broadly-based; 1600 Saturday & 0600 Sunday)
Feature program (1400 Saturday & 1300 Wednesday; also online)
FORA Radio (1800 Monday)
Futures Report (0830 Thursday)
Sunday Profile (Ex-Local Radio; 1305 Sunday)
Timeslots with major alteration
0830 weekdays (revised line-up and rpt at 0030)
1900 weekdays (revised line-up)
2000 Mon-Thurs (8.30s etc replaced by Book Show)
0005 Monday-Thursday (Book Show replaced by 8.30s & Aspac)
Continuing programs which alter (in form, duration or timeslot):
Airplay (extended duration and different rpt timeslot)
Artworks Feature (different rpt timeslot)
Australia Talks (3 days)
Book Show (new repeat time)
Movietime (new first broadcast)
Rear Vision (slightly extended with new first broadcast, and new Sunday time)
Rhythm Divine (slightly extended and new rpt timeslot 0500 Sunday)
Saturday Extra (new rpt timeslot, replacing By Design rpt)
Verbatim (new timeslot)
Bush Telegraph (new rpt timeslot at 0100)
Asia Pacific (new first broadcast at 0030)
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Peter Pockley
Science writer & broadcaster
A few people might discern a trend here, one of dumbing down content to appeal to the lowest common denominator regardless of the delivery medium. In fact the argument by management is totally spurious. Good programs are good programs irrespective of the mode of delivery. Interesting contentious reporting is not owned by any one medium. What management has clearly demonstrated (like their peers at Fairfax) is a complete disregard for the commitment and integrity of its journalists, presenters and producers in favour of some transparent ploy to get more money from the federal government. Its a bit rich of Mr Scott and his henchmen to claim (from the comfort of their palatial Ultimo headquarters - something that is after all just accommodation and facilities for the NSW and Sydney part of the ABC but occupies a large chunk of a Sydney CBD block) that these measures are necessary to bring more content online. That the proposed measure also continue the trend of sanatising the ABC (free of all those pesky dissenting voices) and homogenising the ABC content reveals another much darker agenda at work.
ABC Ultimo
Original estimate cost $130 million…
Source - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Ultimo_ABC.JPG
Author - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:J_Bar
License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Footnote - I should observe that Radio National falls within Sue Howard’s sphere of influence, but they all seem to marching to the same drumbeat. Less actual content delivered in more ways doesn’t equate to more information and thanks to Stephen Crittenden whose blasphemous remarks led to this reprimand but did bring the matter to the public’s attention.